Quiz: Are You a General Knowledge Master?: HowStuffWorks

Are You a General Knowledge Master?

EDUCATION

By: Amanda Monell

5 Min Quiz

Image: alvarez/E+/Getty Images

About This Quiz

For some of us, it wasn't so long ago when we were sitting in a classroom, fiddling with our pens and notebooks, trying to take notes while a teacher lectured. This scenario usually had one of two outcomes. In the first scenario, the subject being taught was interesting and understandable, so the students excelled. But in the second scenario, the teacher could try to teach and lecture, but when they looked around to see if their pupils were understanding, they saw only blank stares. As for the students, they were uninspired and merely watching the clock. It's at that time when a concerned teacher would reevaluate their teaching strategies and hope that a new approach would improve student engagement.

As students, whenever we got a new lesson in our heads, we could either retain it for a lifetime, keep it until the test was given and then remove it from our memory banks, or forget it completely.

The question we pose is: How many of these lessons have you retained? We've consulted our textbooks, done our research and gathered some of the questions you may remember from school. So, grab those No. 2 pencils and put on your thinking cap. Time to see how much you remember!

Many shapes are constructed with a series of angles. How many degrees are in a right angle?

90

45

180

360

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Many teachers quiz their students on the state capitals, but the number of states may not have been mentioned. How many states are in the United States?

49

51

50

48

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Which animal is known as the king of the jungle?

Lion

Tiger

Bear

Wolf

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Representing the number of continents that send athletes to the Olympics, the Olympic flag has quite a few rings. How many rings are there?

Five

Six

Four

Three

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It's hard not to think of Halloween when you see smiling jack-o-lanterns. What type of produce is most commonly used to create them?

Watermelon

Apple

Cantaloupe

Pumpkin

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The light bulb is considered to be one of the 19th century's best inventions. Who was responsible for making light bulbs more affordable for the public?

Thomas Edison

Benjamin Franklin

Alexander Graham Bell

Steve Jobs

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Which planet is named after the Roman god of war?

Mars

Jupiter

Earth

Venus

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In mythology, which Greek goddess holds domain over sexual love and beauty?

Aphrodite

Venus

Hera

Athena

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Covering 71% of the Earth, what life-giving liquid is a compound with the chemical formula H2O?

Iodine

Kerosene

Water

Bromine

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Founded in Wisconsin in 1903, this company's motorcycles are known for being in 1969's "Easy Rider." Which brand are we thinking of?

Harley Davidson

Ducati

Yamaha

Kawasaki

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Located in South Dakota, Mount Rushmore is one of America's most unique landmarks. Which of these presidents is featured on it?

George Washington

Franklin Roosevelt

Donald Trump

George W. Bush

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Which J.K. Rowling book series features a boy with a lightning-bolt-shaped scar on his forehead?

The Lord of the Rings trilogy

The Hunger Games trilogy

The Harry Potter series

The Percy Jackson series

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What part of speech is identified as a person, place, thing or idea?

An adjective

An adverb

A noun

A verb

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Since the 1950s, Charlie Brown and his gang have been bringing joy to audiences the world over. What kind of animal is Woodstock, Snoopy's best friend?

A dog

A bird

A cat

A fish

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Which of these Disney theme parks is located in California?

Walt Disney World

Disneyland

EPCOT

Tokyo Disneyland

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In humans, a typical mouth houses about 32 teeth. Which type of tooth is used to grind and chew food?

Molar

Bicuspid

Incisor

Canine

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When it comes to exercising, there are many ways to get your body moving. Which of these classes was developed in a German prison camp?

Pilates

Yoga

Zumba

Aerobics

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When you're cruising about town, what color traffic light indicates that you should stop?

Green

Yellow

Red

White

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Which fantasy cult classic features the talents of Andre the Giant, Billy Crystal and Cary Elwes?

"The Dark Crystal"

"The Princess Bride"

"Willow"

"Legend"

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Keeping tires well maintained can help any car owner cut down on costs. Which part of the tire has grooves and helps build traction between the car and the pavement?

The tread

The sidewall

The pressure valve

The rim

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Baking requires not only a good eye for measurements and detail but also a sense of timing that comes from practice. Which of these common ingredients is responsible for making bread rise?

Yeast

Sugar

Salt

Flour

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"Thriller," released in 1982, is one of the best-selling albums of all time. Which single-glove-wearing artist released it?

Luther Vandross

Prince

Michael Jackson

Snoop Dogg

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If you're looking for love, what finger do you want to check for a wedding ring?

The right ring finger

The left ring finger

The right middle finger

The left middle finger

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Teachers often used the mnemonic device ROYGBIV to help students remember all of the colors displayed by a triangular prism. What does the B in ROYGBIV stand for?

Blue

Black

Burgundy

Brown

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Which sports tournament features basketball teams from the NCAA conference battling it out to be number one?

NCAA Sweet 16

NCAA Elite 8

NCAA March Madness

NCAA Frozen Four

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Created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, this fictional detective has a sidekick named Watson. Who is he?

Sam Spade

Hercule Poirot

Sherlock Holmes

Inspector Clouseau

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Surrounded by an air of mystery, these pyramid-shaped monuments often held sarcophagi with mummies. Where are they located?

Turkey

Egypt

Saudi Arabia

Iraq

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Released in 1935, this board game had various silver game pieces, including a little dog and a shoe. Which game are we thinking of?

Sorry!

Parcheesi

Monopoly

Backgammon

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Played by Elton John and Lady Gaga, this musical instrument has keys, hammers and pedals. Which instrument is it?

Flute

Harpsichord

Piano

Guitar

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If you're looking to find a suspect in a crime, these identifiers can include whorls, loops and arches. What are we thinking of?

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